Fluid handling – Systems – Multi-way valve unit
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-19
2001-03-06
Rivell, John (Department: 3753)
Fluid handling
Systems
Multi-way valve unit
C137S625230, C137S625470, C137S454600, C251S288000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06196266
ABSTRACT:
Most of present day residences have a combined tub-shower installation which includes a simple diverting device incorporated into the bathtub spout which either allows the water to freely exit to the tub through the spout or to be diverted to an overhead showering device. The diverting device is simple and inexpensive and is subject to wear. It is designed to be manually moved from its “unblocking” position in the tub spout to a “blocking” position by the user to divert water which would normally exit through the spout to the overhead showering device.
In some tub-shower installations, a diverter valving system is built into the hot and cold mixing valve device in such a manner that the user may swing a lever protruding from an escutcheon plate to direct the previously mixed hot and cold water from the spout to the overhead showering device.
In some instances a “pushbutton” is used in place of the lever device to control the exit of the previously mixed hot and cold water to either tub or shower.
All the above diverting devices are subject to wear and tear with the result being that the diverter incorporated into the tub spout is prone to leakage which results in a substantial proportion of the previously mixed water exiting past the diverter device and into the tub when the user wishes to have all the available water delivered to the overhead showering device.
The diverting devices which are built into the hot and cold water mixing devices tend to leak after prolonged used, and because these diverting devices are built into the mixing device, any malfinction of the diverting valve device which requires repair may require a further opening of the wall surrounding the escutcheon plate to gain sufficient access to the mixing device (which incorporates the diverter valve). Even with the increased access to the combined unit, the repairs to the mixing device diverter valve may require special tools to dissemble the device, and if substantial leakage has occurred before a timely repair procedure has been adopted, corrosion may make disassembly almost impossible. Repair and replacement of worn or corroded parts may consume inordinate amounts of maintenance time making such repairs very costly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary object of this invention to provide a compact diverting valve having a plurality of output ports for supplying previously mixed hot and cold water to anyone of a number of output ports. Such output ports may be connected by appropriate plumbing to a variety of washing or showering devices which may be activated by manually moving a single control. In some instances more than one outlet port may be supplied with previously mixed hot and cold water at a particular setting of the device. It is a further object of this device to provide a full flow throughput of the mixed water supplied by the valve of this invention to the selected washing or showering device no matter which selected output mode is chosen by the user. This is made possible by incorporating a positive keying system into the diverter valve so that the valve actuator, which is manipulated by the user, has only one possible “rest” position for each selected output mode position. This assures the exact alignment of the various internal valve components to prevent any undue throttling of the water stream passing through the diverter valve.
The diverter valve is also arranged to have a porting arrangement wherein the channels through which the water passes, in the interior of the diverter valve, are arranged to be of a size which is comparable to the plumbing conduits connected to the valve itself.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a diverter valve in which the component parts of the valve are entirely accessible to maintenance personnel by the simple removal of an escutcheon plate. Removal of the complete valving components is facilitated by removal of a single spring C clip.
It is a further object to incorporate “limit” stops into the diverter valve housing to prevent the complete rotations of the valve actuator by the user.
It is another object of this invention to provide interchangeable grommets having various orifices which may be easily installed in components of the diverter valve to control the output flow to the washing appliance being supplied by the valve at that particular selected valve position.
These and other objects are made possible by incorporating a pair of mating cylindrically shaped valve components in a housing which itself has a cylindrical surface to mate with one of the pair of the valve components above.
An inner valve component of the above pair (stem) rotates within the outer component of the pair (stationary port member) to align or block ports in the pair of components. The outer component of the pair is securely fastened in the interior of the valve housing so that it remains stationary and its outer cylindrical surface is in close proximity with the cylindrical surface of the housing, and any outlet ports in the housing. The outer component of the pair is restrained to be perfectly installed in the housing and is sealed against leakage within the housing by sealing grommets incorporated into ports of the outer component which seal against the valve housing.
The outer surface of the rotating inner component (stem) of the cylindrically shaped valve components is in close proximity with the inner surface of the outer valve component of the pair and one or more ports which may be incorporated into the inner component align with the various grommeted ports of the outer component at selected rotational positions of the inner component. The grommets in the ports of the outer component also provide a seal with the exterior surface of the inner rotating component.
The rotatable inner component is secured to a spindle which protrudes through the housing and controls the rotation of the inner component. The valve spindle is arranged to be connected into a “keying” assembly common to both the spindle and housing to assure that the spindle stops only at a predetermined mode position as determined by the “keying” assembly to assure that the ports of the inner and outer cylindrical components are perfectly aligned for that particular mode.
A limit stop mechanism is also incorporated into the spindle and housing to provide rotational limits for rotation of the spindle within the diverter valve housing. The valve of this invention also has a “bleed” system incorporated in its structure which enables an overhead shower standpipe to empty into the spout during periods where the diverter valve is set to deliver water to the spout. This prevents the user from being subjected to an initial blast of cold water which was previously captured and held in the shower standpipe from the prior use of the overhead shower.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2492140 (1949-12-01), Fike et al.
patent: 2492151 (1949-12-01), Holm et al.
patent: 2830564 (1958-04-01), Bryant
patent: 2906293 (1959-09-01), Fraser et al.
patent: 2979082 (1961-04-01), Neves
patent: 3424184 (1969-01-01), Brimley et al.
patent: 3443592 (1969-05-01), Felmlee
patent: 3543796 (1970-12-01), Durant
patent: 3570537 (1971-03-01), Kelly
patent: 3687163 (1972-08-01), Nickels
patent: 4109670 (1978-08-01), Slagel
patent: 4441524 (1984-04-01), Mese
patent: 4589441 (1986-05-01), Campau
patent: 4628962 (1986-12-01), Pezzarossi
patent: 4700736 (1987-10-01), Sheen
patent: 4948095 (1990-08-01), Campau
patent: 4968334 (1990-11-01), Hilton
patent: 5685330 (1997-11-01), Breda
patent: 5819798 (1998-10-01), Claflin et al.
patent: 5871032 (1999-02-01), Ko
patent: 5901735 (1999-05-01), Breda
Breda Silvano
Hughes Ivor M.
Hughes Neil H.
Rivell John
Sarkis Marcelo K.
LandOfFree
Multiport diverter valve does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Multiport diverter valve, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Multiport diverter valve will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2449895